The first part of 2022-2023 is going by very quickly and here we are already at Thanksgiving break. There will be no school next week (Nov. 21-25) with classes resuming on Monday, Nov. 28. 

As we reflect on the many things for which we are thankful, I want to take this opportunity to share just a few of them with you: We are thankful for our Pioneers who come to school every day ready to learn – they give us all a daily reminder of what is important and why we are here. We are thankful for the support of the Oak Ridge parents & guardians in helping to create an outstanding partnership for our students. We are thankful for the teachers, paraprofessionals, coaches, AFJROTC instructors, security team including our SROs, media center staff, bus drivers, clerks, student health office, cafeteria team, support staff, counselors, and administrators who really care about student achievement and have the best interests of our students at heart. We are also thankful for our volunteers who enthusiastically contribute so much to Oak Ridge High School. 

We are very thankful to be part of the OCPS system. We have so many advantages many other K-12 school districts and K-12 private programs all over America don't have access to. In fact, examples of these can be found in this Thanksgiving edition: a Superintendent of Schools who consistently carves out time to visit classrooms around the district and keeps the community informed every seven days, not one (1) but four (4) incredible magnet opportunities on just our ORHS campus alone, Orange Technical College & Valencia Dual Enrollment, a College and Career Center which works terribly hard to help our college bound Pioneers pay for college (e.g. our upcoming FAFSA Night), an awesome 3DE program that every week helps prepare students for the real world, and more. The opportunities our students have access to is almost boundless; if they take advantage of them. 

There is one more area of gratitude I must mention on this Friday before Thanksgiving break — we are thankful for the parents & guardians that have kept the faith in us. They continue to share their most valuable possession with us and — in most cases — work hard and advocate to be a partner in their children’s education, safety and well-being. For this, we are ever so thankful.

I would like to wish all of you and your families a happy, healthy and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday! 

Mr. Alvarado

Principal

Oak Ridge High School

Thank you to OCPS Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez who spent some time visiting our @3de_oakridge_fl classrooms and school leadership! Thank you for all the support!  @ocpsnews @hsdocps @jacentralfl

Friday, November 18

Monday, November 21 – Friday, November 25

Tuesday, November 29

Wednesday, November 30

Thursday, December 1

Friday, December 2

Saturday, December 3

1. Kudos to Ms. Mantor, who created an affirmation station in her classroom!

2. Shout out to Mr. Carter! Every morning before the PASS attendance is sent out, he checks the list and sends his kids work ensuring they can continue learning during their time in PASS!

3. Congratulations to Mrs. Campbell and the Marching Band for a successful marching season! The hours and dedication she puts in with these students cannot be overstated and the results speak for themselves.

We continue to remind students of the electronic policy of no headphones, no AirPods and no cellphones. We have seen vast improvements, and the goal is to make it part of our school culture. The policy is in place from 7:20a-2:20p. Please assist us in enforcing this necessary policy.

Students who arrive AFTER 7:20AM will need to go through the attendance office, 6-102 or 5-111 to receive a pass to class. This is the same procedure for students that are late to a class period. Please assist us in having your students arrive on time.

* Students go to the actual location of the subject area, on the day and time being offered...

* Students report directly to their tutoring locations

* NO TRANSPORTATION IS AVAILABLE

Pioneer Pride: We are so proud of our @orhs_afjrotc who represented us proudly at the Orlando Veterans Day Parade! #pioneerpride #thisisoakridge #boundforglory

Maxima Harmon- Director, School Leadership Oak Ridge High School (maxi.harmon@3deschools.org)

Please feel free to contact any member of our 3DE leadership team at Oak Ridge High School if you have any questions or concerns.

The 9.3 Jackson Healthcare Case Challenge launched on Thursday, November 3rd. Students are challenged with helping Jackson Healthcare come up with ideas on how to decrease the digital divide that exists in telemedicine. Students must choose between home v/s community-based ideas. Students will present their solutions to Jackson Healthcare during the 9.3 Culminating Event on December 6th.

Competency: Critical & Analytical Thinking

Analytical Tool: Decision Tree

The 10.3 The Home Depot National Case Challenge launched on November 4th! Students have been challenged with helping Home Depot come up with ways to utilize the additional space in stores to create a showroom-type experience centered on kitchen products. Students will present their ideas during the 10.3 Culminating Event in the Media Center on December 9th during 3rd and 4th periods. This is a National Case Challenge! Our top teams will be competing against other 3DE students across the nation. Members of our 10th grade group ranked 2nd in the Arby's 9.4 National Case Challenge last year. Our Oak Ridge students have an opportunity to bring 1st place home!

Competency: Creativity & Innovation

Analytical Tool: Design Thinking Process

Students participated in the 11.2 CHEP business coaching on November 4th and received excellent feedback towards implementing strategies from the 11.2 CHEP case study into their Year Long Projects.  Pioneer Pitch Day will be on November 15th all periods except for 6th period in the 400-building 3rd floor pod. This event is very similar to what you might see on the show "Shark Tank".

Seniors had their second meetings with their Senior Consultancy companies on Monday, November 7th. These meetings are held virtually between student teams and the business partners. We have a few business partners that have preferred to meet with our students in person. Students are also working on their senior year portfolios, applying for financial aid and college. Next meetings are scheduled for November 28th.

* The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is used to apply for college financial aid.

 National Scholarship searches- Fast Web and Scholarships.com

Source: U.S. News & World Report (2022)  Read full article

The U.S. News & World Report "Top 25 Best Jobs without a College Degree of 2022" rankings were calculated on a number of factors including: median salary, unemployment rate, 10-year growth rate in volume, 10-year growth rate percentage, future job prospects, stress level, and work-life balance.

Note for our Pioneers: Lists of this nature should be used as a guide only as many other factors can also come into play such as where you live, your long-term personal goals, the particular company you are working for, etc. The U.S. News & World Report 2022 rankings also do not include U.S. military or non-profit employment opportunities. Please take advantage of our College and Career Resource Center when it comes to exploring your post high school plans while you are still at ORHS. 

3DE by Junior Achievement, formerly known as the JA Academy for Leadership and Entrepreneurship, is a national model partnership between OCPS, 3DE, and Junior Achievement of Central Florida. 3DE re-engineers high school education and pushes students to discover solutions to real-world challenges, connect the relevancy of education, and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive in today’s ever-evolving economy. 3DE’s multifaceted approach to learning uses case methodology to integrate real-world connectivity into the standard high school experience. Coursework is complemented by career readiness experiences including career-site visits, interacting with business coaches, and consultancy experiences. The result is a high school experience that reflects the dynamic pace of activity and interconnectedness of life beyond the classroom walls.

The Aviation and Aerospace Engineering Magnet provides a rigorous college preparatory curriculum coupled with relevant career-related electives and enrichment activities that allow students to experience first-hand the fields of aviation and aerospace engineering. Integrated learning, honors and Advanced Placement coursework, as well as field trips, site visits and possible apprenticeships and internships provide the foundation for student preparation. Students will have the opportunity to use state of the art flight simulators, which are located on the Oak Ridge High School campus. Upon program completion, students will be academically prepared for two- and four-year higher education programs and may receive scholarships through Bright Futures and a variety of other funding sources. Students throughout the Orange County School District may apply for this magnet. Participating students enter the magnet as freshmen and a limited number may enter as sophomores.

The Digital Media and Gaming Magnet provides a rigorous college preparatory program using curriculum that is tied to today’s digital world. You text message, download music, make cell phone calls, chat online and play the latest games anytime, anywhere. So why not learn how to make it all happen? Be a part of the development of the digital boom while in high school. Oak Ridge High School, in cooperation with the University of Central Florida School of Film and Digital Media, has developed the most extensive digital media program in Central Florida. Students learn the latest in podcasting, animation, web design, electronics and gaming development. Integrated learning, honors and Advanced Placement coursework, as well as field trips, site visits and possible apprenticeships and internships provide the foundation for student preparation. Upon program completion, students will be academically prepared for two- and four-year higher education programs and may receive scholarships through Bright Futures and a variety of other funding sources. Students throughout the Orange County school district may apply for this magnet. Participating students enter the magnet as freshmen and a limited number may enter as sophomores.

The Hospitality Management Magnet provides a variety of academic and real-world experiences to meet the needs of both four-year college-bound students and students planning to attend community college before beginning their careers in hotel and resort management. In addition to solid academic preparation, students have the opportunity to participate in a manager mentor program, site visits, job shadowing and to interact with industry leaders as guest speakers and through apprenticeship and internship programs. Upon program completion, students will be academically prepared for two- and four-year higher education programs and may receive scholarships through Bright Futures and a variety of other funding sources. Students throughout the Orange County School District may apply for this magnet. Participating students enter the magnet as freshmen and a limited number may enter as sophomores.

Click link to apply: http://schoolchoicemagnet.ocps.net/

Dr. Vazquez discusses what the district is doing in support of our teachers so that they in turn can always do their very best for our students.

Please click here to view Dr. Vazquez's latest message

We hope you all have an enjoyable Thanksgiving break filled with laughs, love, and conversation! Here are some Thanksgiving themed topics to bring up at your dinner table: 

Source: Grill Cook Bake  Read full article  

Source: Hot 96.7   Read full article  

Copyright Notice

Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS - Oak Ridge High School is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and especially Oak Ridge High School. Please contact Mrs. Laurene Householder at laurene.householder@ocps.net with any questions related to the program.

Oak Ridge High School | Mr. Alvarado, Principal | 407.852.3200 | ORHS Website